MLB trade rumors: Orioles’ Manny Machado to Yankees makes sense under 1 condition

Will the Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado before the July 31, 2018 (7/31/18) non-waiver trade deadline. Machado will become a free agent after the 2018 MLB season. Yankees general manager Brian Cashman reported has expressed interest in the All-Star shortstop, who has 21 home runs this season.

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On the surface, it doesn’t make much sense. Why would the Yankees be interested in trading for Baltimore Orioles shortstop Manny Machado? They already have Didi Gregorius at short, with rookie Miguel Andujar entrenched at third base. Sure, they could move Andujar to first and put Machado, a two-time Gold Glove winner, at third. But Machado has publicly stated, “I’m a shortstop.”

Everyone, including general manager Brian Cashman, knows the Yankees need starting pitching before the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline. But the starters available on the market right now (Texas Rangers left-hander Cole Hamels, Toronto Blue Jays left-hander J.A. Happ, Detroit Tigers right-hander Michael Fulmer, and Tampa Bay Rays right-handers right-handers Nathan Eovaldi and Chris Archer) are less than impressive.

If Cashman doesn’t see any of those arms as a significant upgrade over Sonny Gray, CBS Sports MLB Insider Jim Bowden, a former big-league GM, thinks the Yankees need to steer into the curve and build from their strength: hitting.

“The New York Yankees are in, not just interested, they are in on Manny Machado. Now on the surface you would look at it and you would probably say they’re probably playing everyone to get the cost up for other people. That is not the case. They do have interest.

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“Their biggest need is a top of the rotation starter to go with (Luis) Severino. They called the Mets about (Jacob) deGrom. The called the Rays about Blake Snell. It doesn’t appear that either of those two pitchers are going to be traded.

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“If you can’t get another starter, what’s the best way to catch the Red Sox? Go get another bat. How about (an) All-Star bat like Manny Machado, an impact bat.”

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The Yankees lead the majors with 150 home runs this season. Would trading for Machado and his 21 home runs be enough to compensate for a lack of depth in the starting rotation? That’s the question Cashman has to answer within the next three weeks.

Mike Rosenstein may be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @rosenstein73. Find NJ.com on Facebook.